Dwa typy modeli w nauce a problem odkrycia i zagadnienie reprezentacji

In the article the models which are reconstructed in the philosophy of science from the praxis of science are divided into two main types: 1) analogue and metaphor-based models and 2) representational models. I examine functions of the models of both the types, and demonstrate that the models of type 1) are used in science as instruments of acquiring new knowledge on the basis of a knowledge accepted earlier; and models of type 2) are used to create cognitive “images” of reality. I demonstrate that in the philosophy of science the problem areas generated by two functions of models are entirely isolated one from another. Whereas they are non-separably linked one to another. I postulate the necessity of linking them in one unified conception of models, and then in one conception of science. Therefore such a conception of models is needed which will explain how models play two functions simultaneously, i.e. how they function in the context of discovery and how they rep-resent reality

Modele teoretyczne

I analyse three most interesting and extensive approaches to theoretical models: classical ones—proposed by Peter Achinstein and Michael Redhead, and the rela-tively rareanalysed approach of Ryszard Wójcicki, belonging to a later phase of his research where he gave up applyingthe conceptual apparatus of logical semantics. I take into consideration the approaches to theoretical models in which they are qualified as models representing the reality. That is why I omit Max Black’s and Mary Hesse’s concepts of such models, as those two concepts belong to the analogue model group if we consider the main function of the model of a given class as its classification criterion. My main focus is on theoretical models with representative functions as these very models and, in a broader context, the question of representation

CZESŁAW BIAŁOBRZESKI – FIZYK I FILOZOF

Artykuł składa się z dwóch części. W części pierwszej rekonstruuję filozoficzne poglądy polskiego filozofującego fizyka Czesława Białobrzeskiego, a w drugiej części przedstawiam jego biografię oraz wkład w rozwój fizyki. Filozoficzne rozważania Białobrzeskiego kształtowały się na bazie wiodących problemów w fizyce końca XIX i przede wszystkim XX wieku; Białobrzeski prowadził te rozważania w ścisłym związku ze swoją praktyką naukową. Działalność polskiego uczonego przypada na okres powstawania i rozwoju mechaniki kwantowej. Białobrzeski – jak wielu innych ówczesnych fizyków – był świadomy konieczności spójnego wyjaśniania fundamentalnie nowych zjawisk świata atomowego. Jego wyjaśnienie jest oryginalne – odwołał się mianowicie w nim do klasycznej, filozoficznej teorii kategorii i zaproponował jej własną ontologiczną interpretację

APPLICATION OF FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD FOR MEASUREMENT SIMULATION IN ULTRASOUND TRANSMISSION TOMOGRAPHY

In this work, we present a computer simulation model that generates the propagation of sound waves to solve a forward problem in ultrasound transmission tomography. The simulator can be used to create data sets used in the supervised learning process. A solution to the "free-space" boundary problem was proposed, and the memory consumption was significantly optimized from O(n2) to O(n). The given method of simulating wave scattering enables the control of the noise extinction time within the tomographic probe and the permeability of the sound wave. The presented version of the script simulates the classic variant of a circular probe with evenly distributed sensors around the circumference

ODDZIAŁYWANIA NADSUBTELNE W CERAMICE (BiFeO3)0.9-(BaTiO3)0.1 WYTWORZONEJ PRZEZ AKTYWACJĘ MECHANICZNĄ

In this work the results of structural and magnetic investigations for (BiFeO3)0.9-(BaTiO3)0.1 ceramics prepared by mechanical activation are presented. The structural analysis and hyperfine interactions investigations were performed by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy.W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań strukturalnych i magnetycznych dla ceramiki (BiFeO3)0.9-(BaTiO3)0.1 otrzymanej w procesie aktywacji mechanicznej. Badania struktury i oddziaływań nadsubtelnych przeprowadzono odpowiednio metodami dyfrakcji promieniowania X oraz spektroskopii efektu Mössbauera

Bioresorbable everolimus-eluting vascular scaffold in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Optical coherence tomography evaluation and clinical outcomes

Background: Bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) implantation is a new, promising treat­ment method of coronary artery disease. Preliminary data in patients with stable angina are encouraging. However, the utility of BVS was not sufficiently evaluated in the setting of acute thrombotic lesions. The aim of this study was an optical coherence tomography (OCT) assessment of acute procedural result of the everolimus-eluting BVS implantation in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and evaluation of mid-term clinical outcomes. Methods: OCT examination was conducted in 23 STEMI patients who underwent primary angioplasty with BVS implantation. Off-line qualitative and quantitative coronary angiography and OCT analyses were performed by an independent core laboratory. Results: Successful procedural and clinical results were achieved in 95.7% of patients, and device success was observed in all patients. In OCT evaluation, most of the struts (95.4 ± ± 7.96%) were well apposed, 4.6 ± 5.71% were classified as malapposed. The final minimum lumen diameter was 2.6 ± 0.35 mm, minimum scaffold area was 6.9 ± 1.54 mm2 and final residual stenosis was 8.8 ± 24.37%. Edge dissections were found in 3 (7.7%) lesions. Median follow-up period was 229 (interquartile range 199–248) days. One myocardial infarction, due to sub-acute stent thrombosis, occurred in a patient who discontinued pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: The study shows that everolimus-eluting BVS implantation in STEMI is safe and feasible. The OCT evaluation confirmed excellent acute performance with appropriate scaffold expansion and low rate of malapposition.  

Myocardial regeneration strategy using Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells as an off-the-shelf "unlimited" therapeutic agent : results from the Acute Myocardial Infarction First-in-Man Study

Introduction: In large-animal acute myocardial infarction (AMI) models, Wharton’s jelly (umbilical cord matrix) mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) effectively promote angiogenesis and drive functional myocardial regeneration. Human data are lacking. Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel myocardial regeneration strategy using human WJMSCs as a unique, allogenic but immuno-privileged, off-the-shelf cellular therapeutic agent. Material and methods: The inclusion criterion was first, large (LVEF ≤ 45%, CK-MB > 100 U/l) AMI with successful infarct-related artery primary percutaneous coronary intervention reperfusion (TIMI ≥ 2). Ten consecutive patients (age 32–65 years, peak hs-troponin T 17.3 ±9.1 ng/ml and peak CK-MB 533 ±89 U/l, sustained echo LVEF reduction to 37.6 ±2.6%, cMRI LVEF 40.3 ±2.7% and infarct size 20.1 ±2.8%) were enrolled. Results: 30 × 106 WJMSCs were administered (LAD/Cx/RCA in 6/3/1) per protocol at ≈ 5–7 days using a cell delivery dedicated, coronary-non-occlusive method. No clinical symptoms or ECG signs of myocardial ischemia occurred. There was no epicardial flow or myocardial perfusion impairment (TIMI-3 in all; cTFC 45 ±8 vs. 44 ±9, p = 0.51), and no patient showed hs-troponin T elevation (0.92 ±0.29 ≤ 24 h before vs. 0.89 ±0.28 ≤ 24 h after; decrease, p = 0.04). One subject experienced, 2 days after cell transfer, a transient temperature rise (38.9°C); this was reactive to paracetamol with no sequel. No other adverse events and no significant arrhythmias (ECG Holter) occurred. Up to 12 months there was one new, non-index territory lethal AMI but no adverse events that might be attributable to WJMSC treatment. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the feasibility and procedural safety of WJMSC use as off-the-shelf cellular therapy in human AMI and suggested further clinical safety of WJMSC cardiac transfer, providing a basis for randomized placebo-controlled endpoint-powered evaluation

Aktywność transkrypcyjna genów TGFbeta1 i ich receptorów w gruczole tarczowym

  Introduction: Determination of gene-candidates’ profile expression responsible for fibrosis, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, and neoplasia processes in the pathogenesis of thyroid gland disease. Material and methods: Sixty-three patients underwent thyroidectomy: 27 with non-toxic nodular goitre (NG), 22 with toxic nodular goitre (TNG), six with papillary cancer (PTC), and eight with Graves’ disease (GD). In thyroid tissues, transcriptional activity of TGFbeta1 and its receptors TGFbetaRI, TGFbetaRII, and TGFbetaRIII genes were assessed using RT-qPCR (Reverse Transcriptase Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction). Molecular analysis was performed in tissues derived from GD and from the tumour centre (PTC, NG, TNG) and from peripheral parts of the removed lobe without histopathological lesions (tissue control). Control tissue for analysis performed in GD was an unchanged tissue derived from peripheral parts of the removed lobe of patients surgically treated for a single benign tumour. Results/Conclusions: Strict regulation observed among transcriptional activity of TGFb1 and their receptor TGFbetaRI-III genes in control tissues is disturbed in all pathological tissues – it is completely disturbed in PTC and GD, and partially in NG and TNG. Additionally, higher transcriptional activity of TGFb1 gene in PTC in comparison with benign tissues (NG, GD) and lower expression of mRNA TGFbRII (than in TNG, GD) and mRNA TGFbetaRIII than in all studied benign tissues (NG, TNG, GD) suggests a pathogenetic importance of this cytokine and its receptors in PTC development. In GD tissue, higher transcriptional activity of TGFbetaRII and TGFbetaRIII genes as compared to other pathological tissues was observed, indicating a participation of the receptors in the pathomechanism of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). TGFbeta1 blood concentrations do not reflect pathological processes taking place in thyroid gland. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (4): 375–382)    Wstęp: Wyznaczenie profilu ekspresji genów-kandydatów odpowiedzialnych za procesy włóknienia, immunosupresji, angiogenezy, nowotworzenia w patogenezie chorób gruczołu tarczowego. Materiał i metody: W grupie badanej było 63 chorych poddanych tyreoidektomii: 27 z wolem guzkowym nietoksycznym (NG), 22 z wolem guzkowym toksycznym (TNG), 6 z rakiem brodawkowatym (PTC), 8 z chorobą Gravesa-Basedowa (GD). W tkankach tarczycy oceniono ilościowo aktywność transkrypcyjną genów TGFb1 i jego receptorów TGFbetaRI, TGFbetaRII, TGFbetaRIII metodą RT-qPCR (ilościową reakcją łańcuchową polimerazy z udziałem odwrotnej transkryptazy). Analizę molekularną wykonano w tkankach pochodzących od GD i z centrum zmiany guzowatej (PTC, NG, TNG) oraz z obwodowych części usuniętego płata w których nie stwierdzono zmian histopatologicznych (tkanka kontrolna). Tkankę kontrolną dla analizy wykonanej u chorych z GD stanowiła niezmieniona tkanka tarczycy pochodząca z obwodowych części usuniętego płata chorych operowanych z powodu pojedynczego łagodnego guza. Wyniki/Wnioski: Obserwowana ścisła regulacja pomiędzy aktywnością transkrypcyjną genów TGFb1 i jego receptorów TGFbetaRI-III w tkankach kontrolnych ulega zaburzeniu we wszystkich tkankach patologicznych – całkowitemu w PTC i GD, częściowemu w NG i TGN. Dodatkowo, większa aktywność transkrypcyjna TGFbeta1 w PTC w porównaniu z tkankami łagodnymi (NG, GD) oraz mniejsza ekspresja mRNA TGFbRII (niż w TNG, GD) i mRNA TGFbetaRIII w porównaniu z łagodnymi tkankami (NG, TNG, GD) sugeruje patogenetyczne znaczenie tej cytokiny i jej receptorów w rozwoju PTC. W tkance GD, zwraca uwagę większa aktywność transkrypcyjna genów TGFbetaRII i TGFbetaRIII w porównaniu do innych tkanek patologicznych wskazując na udział tych receptorów w patomechanizmie autoimmunologicznej choroby tarczycy (AITD). Stężenia TGFbeta1 we krwi nie odzwierciedlają procesów patologicznych zachodzących w gruczole tarczowym. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (4): 375–382)